This Shark won't bite: Carney refuses to kick Marshall while he's down

Daniel Lane

Cronulla five-eighth Todd Carney, the man charged with the job of containing Benji Marshall in Friday night's match against Wests Tigers, dismissed reports his opposite number was out of form as downright ignorant.

The sixth-placed Sharks are determined to consolidate their position in the top eight. However, Carney said the people who had all but written the Kiwi star off as a force in the premiership knew nothing about footy.

''Any team with Benji Marshall in it is one to worry about,'' Carney said. ''I'm a player who plays against him and I don't think his form is too bad - but he's getting criticised by people who obviously haven't played the game. So, I don't look too much into all that because I know he'll turn up and play well.''

Despite Carney's protestations, Marshall has had a tough winter.

The 28-year-old was stripped of the New Zealand captaincy for the Anzac Test. He started from the bench in round 10 - his form has been scrutinised - and he has been frustrated by protracted negotiations to extend his contract until 2017. He has needed to nurse a battalion of young players through their baptisms of fire, while speculation of a fallout between him and coach Michael Potter has been relentless. He conceded last week that he felt under pressure to retain his place in New Zealand's World Cup squad.

Marshall confirmed he was weighing up a possible switch of codes after the Auckland Blues had shown interest.

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Carney said while Marshall was caught in the sport's blinding headlights, the scrutiny and constant pressure to perform was part of life for top-graders. ''I've been in his position but for different reasons,'' said Carney, whose career before signing with the Sharks was frustrated by off-field controversies.

''But that's our job … and that's the people's job who criticise him. They're paid to criticise someone when they feel they can get a jab in. But Wests Tigers have won four [of their last five] games so I don't know how they can say he's in a slump.''

While Carney appeared protective of his foe, former Tigers forward Chris Heighington confirmed the match would have extra meaning because the scars from his forced exit - and that of Beau Ryan, Andrew Fifita and Bryce Gibbs - had not healed. ''I'd be lying if I said the emotion wasn't there,'' he said. ''It'll be a good game, we got over the top of them in [round nine] and I want to do it again.''

Meanwhile, as reported by Fairfax Media on Thursday, the Sharks announced waste disposal company Remondis had bought the naming rights to their home ground. It's yet another name for the stadium which, since the Sharks' inception in 1967, has been known as Endeavour Field, Ronson Field, Caltex Field, Shark Park and Toyota Stadium.